sea serpent

noun

: a large marine animal resembling a serpent often reported to have been seen but never proved to exist

Examples of sea serpent in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Revolving around a community of sea serpents living on a secret island in the middle of the ocean, the feature is based on the children’s book series by Tor Åge Bringsværd and illustrator Thore Hansen, which ran across nine books from 1972 to 2019, creating a cross-generational brand. —Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 28 Oct. 2024

There's also an Orkney origin story involving a giant sea serpent. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 4 Oct. 2024

Descriptions include 150-foot-long monsters that caused shipwrecks by wrapping their tentacles around ships, plenty of sea serpents with giant heads and long tails, and one story from 1903 of a group of men who saw a creature with a series of wings, a head like an elephant and horns. —Amy Schwabe, Journal Sentinel, 24 June 2024

While in times past their size and often stupendous length likely gave rise to many a sailor’s tales of sea serpents, the innocent oarfish is hardly a diabolical or supernatural creature. —Stephen C. George, Discover Magazine, 18 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1774, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

sea serpent

noun

: a large marine animal resembling a snake often reported to have been seen but never proved to be real